A Dangerous Justice by John Pilkington

Author : John Pilkington

Book : A Dangerous Justice

/ The Justice Belstrang Mysteries Book /

/ Mystery & Thrillers /

Publication date : June 23, 2026

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Blurb:

The first adventure in the thrilling Justice Belstrang mystery series from John Pilkington. A must-read for fans of C. J. Sansom. 🩸📜 England, 1616. Ex-magistrate Robert Belstrang, bored with country life, comes to London to investigate the strange disappearance of Thomas Jessop, son of a poor Catholic neighbour. He finds the youth in Bedlam asylum, silent and starving himself. But when he tries to free Jessop Belstrang finds himself the target of a dark plot to silence him… by any means necessary.

But Robert Belstrang is a stubborn man, and with the help of ex-soldier Daniel Oldrigg he sticks doggedly to his purpose. Their investigations take them deep into the fear-ridden Catholic underworld – where Belstrang soon uncovers a plan with its roots in the Gunpowder Plot of more than a decade ago.

The underbelly of London is a murky place, but Belstrang will strain every sinew to out the corruption... or die trying.

My thoughts:

It's my first time reading a book by John Pilkington, and what better way to start than with his new series? I dived into this book completely blind, without knowing what to expect, which definitely added an extra thrill to my experience. What greeted me between the pages was a slow-paced, yet captivating historical mystery set in England during the King James era of 1616. Robert Belstrang, an ex-magistrate, is approached by a neighbour with a plea to help find his son, Thomas Jessop, who has disappeared. Untangling that mystery and discovering what happened to the boy leads Belstrang to London, and soon everything spirals out of control. The conspiracy he finds himself in is far deeper than he anticipated. I loved the way every place and surrounding in the book was crafted, how descriptive and immersive it was, making you feel as if you are standing there too. I adored Robert Belstrang's character with his relentless will; even when he became a target meant to silence him, he didn't cower but pressed on with his mission, determined to put an end to what he uncovered. Slow-burning with conspiracies lurking in every corner, full of twists and turns, and never a dull moment. I love that it is yet another wonderful read that I picked up outside my usual fantasy comfort zone.